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Traveling gives people positive emotions and vivid impressions. But in order to feel comfortable on the road, you must pre-select a pillow for travel. It will help to relax as much as possible during a long flight, relieve tension from the muscles of the neck and back.

Modern manufacturers provide customers with a huge range of products for every taste. The main thing is not to get confused and make the right choice.

Types of Travel Pillows

As for the varieties of pillows, they are divided by:

scope of application (under the head, lower back, neck, legs),
manufacturing materials
forms
dimensions
designs.

We will consider them in more detail in order to accurately understand what products exist on the market today, as well as which pillow to travel is better to choose.

Children, for adults

All pillows on the road are divided into:

children’s. They are distinguished by compact dimensions, low weight, hypoallergenic materials, interesting designs. With them you can comfortably sleep in the car, train and even on the plane. With the purchase of a special ergonomic pillow on the road, the child will have bright emotions and memories from a long trip. For the youngest children from the age of 12 months, it is worth choosing a bagel model. She surrounds her head and firmly supports her. Children's products are sewn from natural and breathable materials, usually cotton. They are pleasant to the touch and do not irritate the delicate baby skin,
adults. They differ in a wide range. All products have various shapes, dimensions and purpose. But when choosing them, it is worth paying attention to unpretentiousness in leaving, comfort in operation, weight, compactness.

For traveling by plane, by car, by bus, by train

All travel pillows differ in purpose:

for trips in cars and buses are suitable: head restraints, oblong body clips, pillows in the form of a ring for the back. Some models hold their neck and head well, others fit under the lower back, preventing pain from prolonged sitting. There are also models under the legs that prevent them from flowing. As for the shapes, pillows for long trips in the car are: oval, round, square, oblong,
for long flights in airplanes, products of classical shapes (square or rectangular) are suitable. It is convenient to sleep with them on one side or with your head thrown back. For sleep on the back, it is better to choose models in the form of a bone or a roll. They are fixed with straps or ties, they are small in size. Particular attention is paid to manufacturing materials. As for the fillers, for traveling on an airplane it is better to choose inflatable models that, when folded, practically do not take up space in luggage. Also relevant are products with latex, polystyrene balls, polyurethane foam,
for traveling on trains any kind of pillow is suitable. They can be orthopedic, inflatable, in the form of a bagel, square, circle. The main thing is that the selected option is of high quality, as comfortable as possible and familiar to the user.

Under the neck, under the head, for the legs, under the chin

All pillows for long trips are designed for a specific area of the body:

under the neck. Available in the form of a curved roller, where the ends are not connected to each other. This is the most common option, allowing you to relieve muscle tension and prevent injuries that can happen along the way. They are suitable for resting in a sitting position. A neck pillow will help you pass the time in the waiting room with comfort, with a long flight in an airplane, train or car,
under the head. Most often they have a rectangular shape or in the form of a roller and are suitable for relaxing sitting or lying on your back. Headrests are often equipped with additional straps and mounts for fixing to the seat,
under the chin. Provide quality support to the upper body, guarantee a sound and healthy sleep. This is ideal for those who like to travel long distances.

Models prevent neck sagging, relieve pain in the shoulders, promote proper blood circulation, for legs. Correct the position of the legs during rest. Most often, products are made in the form of an inflatable stand, consisting of several sections.

With its help, any long trip will fly by. In addition, foot pillows will relieve tension from the spine during sleep.

Inflatable pillows under the neck are popular among tourists, but in fact they are completely useless. We understand why.

Everyone probably came up with the idea to purchase a special inflatable pillow under his neck for travel. This accessory was patented back in 1929 and since then remains one of the most popular tourist acquisitions. Such a pillow really helps someone, but often they don’t even fulfill their only task - to give the neck a rest during a long flight or moving. Why? There are several reasons for this, according to The Atlantic journalist Kelly Conaboy.

Konaboy says that last summer she took such a pillow with her on a flight - a pleasant burgundy color made from Memory Foam polyurethane foam, invented with NASA support. However, for the entire flight, she could not find a comfortable sleeping position. At the same time, attempts to use this item as an ordinary pillow ended in failure due to its ergonomic U-shape.

However, these pillows by no means all seem so uncomfortable. “I bought it for a long weekend trip. Polyurethane foam keeps its shape perfectly, and the pillow still remains soft and comfortable, ”says a user named Ivan in a response to the same pillow. Another user writes that in his car trips it is very easy to fall asleep and wake up without pain - all thanks to this accessory.

Brad John, co-founder of Flight 001, a popular travel retailer, said U-shaped travel cushions sell very well, although nothing new has been around for a long time. “All of these pillows are alike. We sell heated pillows, inflatable, polyurethane foam, ”said John.

At the moment, according to him, the most popular pillows are transformers, which can be given both normal and U-shaped. The owner of Flight 001 takes an ordinary pillow with him when traveling. He added that U-shaped pillows can certainly help someone, but not everyone fits.

Why do some feel comfortable with a U-shaped neck pillow (unless they lie), and some not? According to Mary O’Connor, professor of orthopedics and rehabilitation and director of the Musculoskeletal Care Center at Yale, there are no clinical data on the effectiveness of these items in reducing tension or discomfort in the neck. Nevertheless, she noted that U-shaped pillows can be useful, but it depends on how they are used and whether they really support the neck.

An ideal pillow, according to her, should keep her head and neck aligned with the spine, so that it doesn’t turn too far forward, backward or sideways. However, for this it is necessary to take into account the anatomical features of each person, and most pillows are made the same. Therefore, someone is lucky, and the standard form of this accessory suits him, but more often such pillows are useless and even prevent you from relaxing.

Further, The Atlantic journalist contacted Brian Feldman, the author of the study “Using pillows to support the neck and postural exercises in the treatment of chronic neck pain”, which was published in the Journal of Rheumatology in 2016 and related to the positive effect of a neck pillow for people with chronic pain in the neck. Professor Feldman, who holds the post of head of the rheumatology department at the Toronto Children's Hospital, said the study focused on special medical pillows, rather than travel accessories that he “hates”. “They just don't do the work they have to do,” the doctor said.

“They are not hard enough and do not hold well enough. There are many new gadgets for sleeping while traveling, but they are usually more like:

belts that hold your head in one position,
boxes that you can put in front of you and put your head on top
collars that provide neck support.

Such things are much better than a typical U-shaped pillow. ”

The scientist noted that keeping the neck in the correct position during sleep is wonderful, but the problem with U-shaped pillows is that they are not made stable enough or high enough to help most people. In order to perform his functions well, he believes pillows should look more like a stiff neck collar, which happens to people who have recently suffered a neck injury. “He clings to his head, holds his chin and supports his head so that it does not fall when you fall asleep while sitting,” said Feldman.

Konaboy notes that travel cushions look like the first stone pillow ever made in Mesopotamia in 7,000 BC. “It seems like you shouldn't use a pillow that looks like a prehistoric artifact, right?” The journalist writes.

“If I could give you one piece of advice, I would say: carefully consider whether it is worth taking a U-shaped pillow for traveling on the next flight. Do you take it in your hand luggage out of benefit or out of habit? She definitely takes up precious space in her bag, because it will help you fall asleep? Or simply because you already bought a travel pillow, although there is nothing personal or scientific evidence that it does its job? Ask yourself these questions, and then leave the U-shaped pillow at home. ” Better throw it away.

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Inflatable, filled

The convenience of the product directly depends on the type of filler:

inflatable models are highly rigid. They have a lot of advantages: low weight, compactness, wide range of applications. Inflatable pillows under the neck - securely fix it in the required position. They relieve fatigue, help relax. Most often, products have a U - shape that supports the neck in any direction,
with latex. They easily take the shape of a head and quickly recover without mechanical impact. They are distinguished by hypoallergenicity, breathability, ease of care,
with balls. Have an orthopedic effect. Easily take the shape of the head, providing a pleasant and comfortable stay,
from viscoelastic foam. Relieve tension during long trips, help muscles relax,

Orthopedic, with memory effect, anti-stress

Also travel pillows are divided into:

orthopedic models. Fully adapt to the part of the body for which they are intended. Filled with special materials with a memory effect. It is the product filler that guarantees a comfortable and pleasant sleep in any conditions,
models with the effect of memory (memory foam). Made of special smart foam. Provide not only a convenient head position during the trip, but also its reliable support. With them, the neck does not numb, and unpleasant painful sensations do not appear in it. Foam remembers all the bends of the head (has the so-called "memory"), and quickly takes its original shape, in the absence of mechanical impact,
antistress. Suitable for both adults and children. It relieves muscle tension and promotes pleasant relaxation. As a filler, they use balls, such as antistress toys.

With and without integrated pump, with massager

Also pillows for long trips are:

with built-in pump. Easy to operate, inflate in a matter of minutes by lightly pressing the pump. The air level in them is regulated depending on the needs of users. They hold their necks perfectly, are distinguished by interesting designs, compactness and light weight,
without a pump. Built-in valve prevents air leakage, easily inflate by mouth,
with a massager. Run on batteries. Equipped with round parts that rotate and knead the cervical-collar zone. Microgranules are used as fillers in them, giving the product elasticity, softness and elasticity.

How to choose a travel pillow

When choosing travel pillows, you must:

give preference to wear-resistant materials from which dust, dirt, germs and bacteria are easily removed,
measure the product in order to understand whether it suits you or not,
give preference to comfortable models and well-established manufacturers,
pay attention to dimensions, shape and filler.

But an incorrectly selected travel pillow will bring only discomfort on the road.

Where to buy a travel pillow

You need to buy a travel pillow on trusted sites, for example, in Ozon (Ozon), Aliexpress, etc. These can be those online stores that you, your friends and relatives have personally used. Before the acquisition, it is worthwhile to study in detail all the technical characteristics of the selected product, read customer reviews, compare the cost of products on different sites. The desired model can also be bought at one of the retail stores: Sportmaster, Fix Price (Fix Price), Decathlon, Ikea, Detsky Mir, Auchan, Tape and others.

The cost of goods depends on the brand, tailoring materials, dimensions. The average price of a pillow for traveling with an orthopedic effect varies within 1,500 rubles, the usual "bagel" from 400-500 and above.

Photo: A set of a mask for sleeping and a pillow on a trip

Top Travel Pillow Manufacturers: TOP 10

Our Top-10 rating (places are randomly distributed) included the best manufacturers according to the number of requests from Internet users. The best manufacturers of travel pillows are:

Benbat. The Israeli manufacturer produces children's products of interesting designs, from hypoallergenic materials. The company is creative in creating bright and colorful models. These products will facilitate the flight of kids on airplanes, decorate long journeys in trains, cars and strollers,
Samsonite (Samsonite). Products occupy a leading position in the market for sales. Products are equipped with a built-in valve that prevents air from escaping. In all models, the degree of rigidity is adjustable. The manufacturer offers a wide range of inflatable and printed models from holofiber, foam, latex, balls,
Miniso. It produces a wide range of accessories for long trips in an excellent ratio of high quality and affordable cost. All products differ in shapes, dimensions, sewing materials and fillers,
Ikea. The products of this brand are distinguished by originality, ease of use, a large assortment. The main emphasis is on inflatable models, unpretentious in care. They easily inflate and deflate, both with sediment and with a built-in pump,
Xiaomi It produces travel pillows in a wide range. They have an orthopedic effect, massage and other positive qualities. All products have a company logo. Comes with a pillowcase and textile cover,
Ascona. The products have an orthopedic effect, are manufactured using innovative technologies from high quality materials,
Trelax These products are great for long trips. All products have an orthopedic effect. Perfectly relieve tension in the muscles and contribute to the prevention of osteochondrosis,
Ormatek. All models are portable. They are of high quality and are indispensable for long trips. Their universal forms guarantee comfort in any position of the body, give a calm sleep,
Modi. The Russian company produces products with orthopedic effects, anti-stress. All products are hypoallergenic, comfortable and ergonomic.
Woollip. The brand manufactures products using innovative technologies and from safe materials. With the help of these pillows, the trip will become pleasant and interesting.

How to inflate a travel pillow

All air bags are inflated with a built-in pump, a separate pump or mouth.

The process of inflation without a pump boils down to:

Unpacking the product and neatly unfolding it.
To make the process as efficient as possible, the base where the safety valve is located is slightly squeezed with two fingers.
The pillow is inflated with several deep breaths and exhalations without much effort.
После того, как изделие станет плотным и упругим, клапан отпускается и закрывается специальным носиком.

Перед надуванием подушки ртом, необходимо тщательно протереть клапан антибактериальной салфеткой и вытереть его насухо.

Как сдуть надувную подушку для путешествий

Сдуваются надувные модели подушек для путешествий достаточно легко. It is enough just to press the protective valve (you can do this with a match, pen, toothpick), or squeeze it on both sides with your fingers, and press on the product.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that travel pillows have many advantages. They decorate long hours of waiting at airports, help to relax in airplanes, trains, cars. With them, any journey will be fun and unnoticed. After all, you will not be disturbed by swelling of the neck, pain in the shoulders, numbness of the limbs. A huge assortment of products on the modern market ensures that every buyer will surely pick up the goods to his taste.

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